CN101366239A - Ieee 802.11e MAC signaling to support qos - Google Patents

Abstract

The Station Management Entity (SME) 202 and/or Media Access Control (MAC) SubLayer Management Entity (MLME) 201 within a Hybrid Controller (HC) or wireless station (WSTA) 106, 109 for an IEEE 802.11 wireless data communications system 100 employ primitives in connection with a Schedule Quality of Service (QoS) Action frame. The primitives include: a request primitive formulated by the HC's SME 202 using the WSTA 106, 109 address and the Schedule Element from the Schedule QoS Action frame for transmission to the HC's MLME 201; a confirm primitive formulated by the HC's MLME 201 using a result code for transmission to the HC's SME 202; and an indication primitive formulated by the WSTA's MLME 201 using the Schedule Element for transmission to the WSTA's SME 202.

Description

Support the IEEE 802.11E MAC signaling of QOS

The application requires the rights and interests of the submission day of the interim U.S. Patent Application Serial Number 60/425,093 submitted on November 8th, 2002.

The present invention relates in general to wireless data communication system, especially guarantees the service quality (QoS) in the wireless data communication system.

Current, in most of the cases, the wireless lan (wlan) that is used for data communication is that the 802.11-1999 standard according to IEEE (IEEE) realizes that this standard is commonly referred to " Wireless Fidelity " or " WiFi ".Current, for various objectives, a lot of working groups are all at modification and the extended version of exploitation about described standard.Especially, the medium access control of IEEE802.11 working group (MAC) strengthens task groups (task groups E) to be set about service quality (QoS) is introduced WLAN (wireless local area network), so that transmit video, voice and multimedia (referring to IEEE 802.11e QoS draft D3.3) in high quality.

In distributed coordination function (DCF) pattern of the contention (CP) of each superframe, IEEE 802.11 systems have adopted one based on the contention access scheme with Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA/CA) that conflict avoids, and this scheme is a random access protocol that not too is fit to the time-sensitive business.In point coordination function (PCF) pattern of the optional no contention (CFP) of each superframe, IEEE 802.11 systems have adopted the poll access mechanism of utilization and access point (AP) some telegon (PC) in the same place to come allocated bandwidth is carried out centralized control.

In order to support QoS to use, IEEE 802.11e has added the new mode of a kind of Hybrid Coordination Function by name (HCF).HCF has merged following two kinds of access mechanisms: the distributed coordination function of enhancing (EDCF), and this pattern provides (based on priority) differentiation formula control for the visit of medium based on CSMA/CA and for the station (QSTA) with qos feature; And a kind of pattern based on poll, in this pattern, mixture control (HC) is in the same place with the access point (QAP) with qos feature usually, and described the highest medium access priorities of mixture control utilization and poll, so that the QoS demand that effectively connects based on traffic carrying capacity and each and provide centralized dispatching at CP with during the CFP cycle.

For the medium access control by centralized dispatching poll rather than random access, it has been simplified equity (peer-to-peer) communication and provides transmission and reception to expection to the station.Therefore, need in the art the scheduling of being carried out in the medium access control inside of enhanced quality-of-service is improved.

In order to solve above-mentioned defective of the prior art, a main purpose of the present invention provides those and is used in primitive in service quality (QoS) the scheduling unit hypervisor relevant with dispatch service quality (QoS) action action frame, so that used in inner station administration entity (SME) of the mixture control (HC) of IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems or wireless station (WSTA) and/or medium access control (MAC) sublayer management entity (MLME).These primitive comprise: SME by HC uses the WSTA address of self scheduling QoS action action frame and scheduling unit to formulate request primitive with the MLME that is used to send to HC; One is used object code to formulate affirmation primitive with the SME that is used to send to HC by the MLME of HC; And the MLME by WSTA uses scheduling unit to formulate to be used to send to the SME indication of WSTA.For a person skilled in the art, from the following drawings, specification and claims, readily understand the other technologies advantage.

Beginning to carry out " about detailed description of the present invention " before, beneficially be given in the definition of employed some vocabulary in the patent document or phrase: term " comprises ", " comprising " and derive from vocabulary and be meant without restriction and comprise; Term " or " be inclusive, so it be meant " and/or "; Phrase " with ... be associated ", " with it related " and derive from vocabulary and can represent to comprise, be included in ... inner, with ... interconnect, contain, be contained in ... be inner, be connected to ... perhaps with ... link to each other, be coupled to ... perhaps with ... coupling, can with ... communicate, with ... cooperate, staggered and put, with ... be right after, be subject to ..., have, have ... attribute or the like; Term " controller " refers to any equipment, system or its part that at least one operation is controlled, and this equipment can adopt the mode of hardware, firmware or software to realize, also can be with both certain combination realizations at least.Should be noted that the function that is associated with any specific controller can be centralized, also can be that this locality or far-end are distributed.The definition of some vocabulary and phrase also is provided in patent document, even it will be understood by those skilled in the art that it is not most of examples, but in a lot of examples, this definition all is applicable to previous and following application of vocabulary and phrase thus defined.

In order to understand the present invention and advantage thereof more all sidedly, will come in conjunction with the accompanying drawings now with reference to following specification, wherein identical Reference numeral is represented identical object, and wherein:

Fig. 1 describe according to one embodiment of the invention, adopted the medium access control signaling to support the wireless communication system of the transmission/reception of dispatch service quality action action frame;

Fig. 2 has described the wireless communication system components of using according to one embodiment of the invention in more detail in the medium access control signaling that the transmission/reception to scheduling service quality action action frame provides support; And

Fig. 3 A-3C is the high-level flow chart of describing according to the medium access control signaling procedure of transmission/reception one embodiment of the invention, that support dispatch service quality action action frame.

For Fig. 1～3C of following argumentation and the different embodiment that are used for being used to describe in patent document the principle of the invention, they only provide as illustration, and here it should be construed to is that scope of the present invention is carried out any restriction.It will be understood by those skilled in the art that principle of the present invention can realize in the equipment that any process is suitably arranged.

Fig. 1 describe according to one embodiment of the invention, adopted the medium access control signaling to support the wireless communication system of the transmission/reception of dispatch service quality action action frame.Wireless communication system 100 be according to IEEE 802.11 standards and utilized IEEE 802.11e standard code and (QoS) function of Additional Services quality in greater detail and/or revise and to realize hereinafter.Correspondingly, wireless communication system 100 in the one exemplary embodiment comprises a plurality of wireless networks 101,102 and 103, wherein each network all comprises a Basic Service Set (BSS) network, and basic service set networks has comprised a plurality of stations (STA) 104-105,106-107 and the 108-109 that carries out radio communication each other respectively.Cordless communication network 101 includes only the station 104-105 that carries out radio communication each other, and each station all providing station service (SS), for example (open system or shared key) authentication service, (optional) privacy services of going authentication service and having utilized wired equivalent privacy (WEP) algorithm and data passes.So, wireless network 101 has constituted independently Basic Service Set (EBSS) network.

On the other hand, wireless network 102 and 103 has comprised at least one respectively and has served as the station 107 and 108 of the access point (AP) of distributed system (DS) 110, and wherein said distributed system has linked two wireless networks 102 and 103.Distributed system 110 can be any appropriate device, wherein by means of described device, access point can communicate each other, so that be the station switching frame in its corresponding basic service set networks, and move to the mobile radio station of another network and transmitted frame in order to follow from a basic service set networks, in addition alternatively with an outside/cable network switching frame (integrated service).Thus for instance, distributed system 110 can be the cable LAN (LAN) such as IEEE 802.X network or IEEE 803.2 networks, and wherein X represents non-IEEE 802.11 standards that are applicable to cable network.

Though the station 106 in wireless network 102 and 103 and 109 provide with wireless network 101 in the similar station service of station 104-105, but in conjunction with distributed system 110, station 107 and 108 in the wireless network 102 and 103 not only provides the website service, but also distributed system service (DSS) is provided, for example related, go association, related, distribution and integrated again.So, wireless network 102 and 103 has constituted the basic service set networks of fabric, and has constituted extended service set (ESS) network 111 with distributed system 110.

According to IEEE 802.11, the radio communication of wireless network 101-103 inside has adopted medium access control (MAC) layer to provide nothing asynchronous, that do one's best to be connected data passes with physics (PHY) layer, and wherein said data passes has been utilized has the Carrier Sense Multiple Access (CSMA/CA) that conflict is avoided.As mentioned above, the wireless network 102-103 among the present invention also meets IEEE 802.11e draft 3.3 standards, has wherein comprised the modification of regulation in document IEEE 802.11-02/650r0 (in November, 2002).Correspondingly, standing 107 and 108 is the access points (QAP) with qos feature, and standing 106 and 109 then is the station (WSTA) with qos feature.

Those skilled in the art will find, here not with regard to all details and the total and the operation of wireless system described or describe.The substitute is, for brevity, here only illustrate and to have described those the present invention distinctive or understand wireless network architecture essential to the invention and operation.

Fig. 2 has described the wireless communication system components of using according to one embodiment of the invention in more detail in the medium access control signaling that the transmission/reception to scheduling service quality action action frame provides support.For being implemented in the mixture control (HC) in one of them of QAP 107-108 and being that hierarchical system 200 has been adopted at the wireless station of being concerned about (WSTA) in exemplary realization example, this system comprises 201 and station administration entities of a media access control sublayer management entity (MLME) (SME) 202.SME 202 are energy with network stack in the logic entity that communicates of all layers (being physics (PHY) layer, MAC layer or the like).201 pairs of MAC layers of MLME manage and control and SME 202 mutual, thereby communicate by station communication and SME 202, and communicate with the MLME at other station by interior communication.

As the part that scheduling QoS sends, as stipulating among the above-mentioned document IEEE 802.11-02/650r0 (content of the document is hereby incorporated by), the scheduling QoS action action frame that HC will comprise scheduling unit sends to corresponding WSTA.As hereinafter in greater detail, according to the present invention, the management processing that is associated with the QoS scheduling unit of formulating and/or act on these scheduling QoS action action frame inside comprises uses one or more signaling primitive MLME-SCHEDULE.request, MLME-SCHEDULE.confirm and MLME-SCHEDULE.indication.

Effectively, its request sends a scheduling QoS action action frame and has comprised following parameter MLME-SCHEDULE.request primitive on HC:

MLME-SCHEDULE.request(

WSTA Address (WSTA address)

Schedule Element (scheduling unit)

)

Wherein in Table I, summarized the parameter value that can allow:

Title	Type	Effective range	Describe
				WSTA Address	MAC Address	Any effectively independent address	Scheduling QoS action action frame the MAC Address of the WSTA that should be sent to
ScheduleElement	Define by frame format	Define by frame format	Stipulated scheduling, comprising service intervals (minimum and maximum), TXOP duration (minimum and maximum) and predetermined distance about WSTA

Table I

When the schedule information about WSTA changed, the SME 202 at HC place can generate MLME-SCHEDULE.request signaling primitive, so that schedule information is sent to the WSTA of appointment with the form of scheduling QoS action action frame from MLME 201.

The result of MLME-SCHEDULE.confirm primitive report MLME-SCHEDULE.request, and wherein comprised following parameter:

MLME-SCHEDULE.confirm(

ResultCode (object code)

)

Wherein in Table II, summarized the parameter value that can allow:

Title	Type	Effective range	Describe
				ResultCode	Enumerate	SUCCESS (success) INVALID PARAMETERS (Invalid parameter) UNSPECIFIED FAILURE (unspecified failure)	The result of expression corresponding M LME-SCHEDULE.request

Table II

MLME-SCHEDULE.confirm signaling primitive is to be produced by MLME201 as the result of MLME-SCHEDULE.request when action is finished, so that (for instance to the result of SME 202 notice MLME-SCHEDULE.request, if the result is SUCCESS, then HC has correctly sent scheduling unit to WSTA in scheduling QoS action action frame).

MLME-SCHEDULE.indication primitive is effective at the WSTA place, and what its was reported is that WSTA has received new scheduling with the form of dispatching the QoS action action frame, and described primitive comprises following parameter:

MLME-SCHEDULE.indication(

Schedule Element (scheduling unit)

)

Wherein in Table III, summarized the parameter value that can allow:

Title	Type	Effective range	Describe
				ScheduleElement	Define by frame format	Define by frame format	Stipulated to be used for the scheduling of WSTA, comprising service intervals (minimum and maximum), TXOP duration (minimum and maximum) and predetermined distance

Table III

MLME-SCHEDULE.indication signaling primitive is as the reception result of the new scheduling of form with scheduling QoS action action frame is produced by MLME 201, so that received the QoS scheduling with the form of scheduling QoS action action frame to SME 202 notices.New schedule element parameters will rewrite previously stored value.

Fig. 3 A-3C is the high-level flow chart of describing according to the medium access control signaling procedure of transmission/reception one embodiment of the invention, that support dispatch service quality action action frame.What Fig. 3 A described is the use of request primitive (MLME-SCHEDULE.request).Process 300 is (steps 301) that are changed to beginning with the scheduling that takes place that has comprised the data communication network of mixture control owing to the participation of wireless station.The SME of HC generates request primitive (step 302) and this primitive is sent to the MLME (step 303) of HC.Then, the MLME of HC formulates a scheduling unit and a scheduling QoS action action frame that comprises this scheduling unit, and the scheduling QoS action action frame formulated is sent to WSTA (step 304) from the MAC of HC.Then, before occurring about another scheduling variation that participates in wireless station, process 300 becomes the free time.

What Fig. 3 B described is the use of confirming primitive (MLME-SCHEDULE.confirm).Process 306 is to be sent request primitive by the SME of HC and to receive (step 307) that this primitive is beginning by the MLME of HC.Determine that subsequently, the MIME of HC formulates a SME (step 310) who comprises this result's affirmation primitive (step 309) and described primitive is sent to HC by result's (step 308) that this request produced.Then, before receiving another request primitive, process 306 becomes the free time.

What Fig. 3 C described is the use of indication primitive (MLME-SCHEDULE.indication).Process 312 is that to receive scheduling QoS action action frame with the MLME by WSTA be (step 313) of beginning.Indication has comprised the scheduling unit from the scheduling QoS action action frame that is received, and this primitive is formulated (step 314) by the MLME of WSTA and is sent to the SME (step 315) of WSTA.Then, before receiving another scheduling QoS action action frame, process 312 becomes the free time.

The present invention provides signaling primitive for the inner necessary management processing of the MLME of HC or WSTA, and wherein the MLME of HC or WSTA is that to handle the scheduling unit of scheduling QoS action action frame inside necessary.

It is highly important that, should be noted that, though in the system context of telotism, described the present invention, but those skilled in the art will understand that, of the present inventionly can distribute with the form of the machine usable mediums of the instruction that comprises various ways to small part mechanism, and no matter which kind of particular type the actual signal bearing medium of carrying out described distribution has, and the present invention is suitable for.The example of machine usable mediums comprises: such as the medium of the nonvolatile, hard-coded type that read-only memory (ROM) maybe can be wiped, EPROM (EEPROM) is such, such as floppy disk, hard disk drive and compact disc read-only memory (CD-ROM) or digital universal disc (DVD) but the medium of such record type, and such as the medium of numeral and analog communication links and frame or such transport-type that divides into groups.

Though described the present invention here in detail, but those skilled in the art should understand that, under the situation of essence that does not break away from broadest form of the present invention and scope, can carry out multiple variation, replacement, change, enhancing, fine setting, classification, simplification, change, revision, improve and delete the present invention disclosed herein.

Claims (24)

1. mixture control that is used for IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 (HC) of supporting that service quality (QoS) strengthens comprising:

A station administration entity (SME) 202 that is in HC inside; And

Medium access control (MAC) sublayer management entity (MLME) 201 that is in HC inside, described medium access control (MAC) but the sublayer management entity is coupled to the SME 202 and the MLME 201 at the wireless station (WSTA) 106,109 that participates in IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 with communication mode

Wherein the scheduling in response to one of WSTA 106,109 of this participation changes, and the SME 202 of HC inside generates a request primitive to be used to send to the MLME 201 of HC inside.

2. according to the HC of claim 1, wherein request primitive has comprised the WSTA106 of described participation, address and scheduling unit of one of 109.

3. according to the HC of claim 2, wherein SME 202 sends to request primitive the MLME 201 of HC inside.

4. according to the HC of claim 3, wherein in response to the reception from the request primitive of SME 202, MLME 201 formulates a scheduling QoS action action frame that has comprised scheduling unit, and sends the scheduling QoS action action frame of being formulated.

5. wireless data communication system 100 that has comprised according to the HC of claim 4, described wireless data communication system 100 also comprises:

The MLME 201 that one of WSTA 106,109 who is in this participation is inner,

Wherein be in 201 couples of inner MLME of one of WSTA 106,109 of this participation and receive scheduling QoS action action frame by one of WSTA 106,109 of this participation and make response, thereby generate an indication with one of the WSTA 106,109 that is used to send to this participation inner SME202.

6. according to the wireless data communication system 100 of claim 5, wherein indication comprises scheduling unit.

7. mixture control that is used for IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 (HC) of supporting that service quality (QoS) strengthens comprising:

A station administration entity (SME) 202 that is in HC inside; And

Medium access control (MAC) sublayer management entity (MLME) 201 that is in HC inside, described medium access control (MAC) sublayer management entity is coupled to the SME 202 and the MLME 201 at the wireless station (WSTA) 106,109 that participates in IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 in the mode that can communicate by letter

The request primitive that changes in response to the scheduling of one of WSTA 106,109 who relates to this participation wherein, the MLME 201 of this HC inside is identified for the result of this request primitive, and generates one and confirm that primitive is to be used to send to the SME 202 of HC inside.

8. according to the HC of claim 7, confirm that wherein primitive comprises a corresponding object code of the result with this request primitive.

9. HC according to Claim 8, wherein the MLME 201 of HC inside sends to the SME 202 of HC inside and confirms primitive.

10. wireless station (WSTA) 106,109 that is used for IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 of supporting that service quality (QoS) strengthens comprises:

A station administration entity (SME) 201 that is in WSTA 106,109 inside; And

Medium access control (MAC) sublayer management entity (MLME) 201 that is in WSTA 106,109 inside, described medium access control (MAC) sublayer management entity is coupled to the SME 202 and the MLME 201 at other wireless stations that participate in IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 in the mode that can communicate by letter

Wherein in response to receive a scheduling QoS action action frame at WSTA 106,109, the MLME 201 of WSTA106,109 inside generates an indication to be used to send to the SME 202 of WSTA 106,109 inside.

11. according to the WSTA 106,109 of claim 10, wherein indication comprises a scheduling unit that comes self scheduling QoS action action frame.

12. according to the WSTA 106,109 of claim 11, wherein the MLME 201 of WSTA 106,109 inside sends to indication the SME202 of WSTA 106,109 inside.

13. a support is used for the method 300 that the inner service quality (QoS) of the mixture control (HC) of IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 strengthens, and comprising:

A station administration entity (SME) 202 of operation HC inside;

A medium access control (MAC) the sublayer management entity (MLME) 201 of operation HC inside, described medium access control (MAC) but the sublayer management entity is coupled to the SME 202 and the MLME 201 at the wireless station (WSTA) 106,109 that participates in IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 with communication mode; And

Scheduling in response to one of WSTA 106,109 that relates to this participation changes, and generates a request primitive to be used for sending to from the SME 202 of HC inside the MLME 201 of HC inside.

14. according to the method 300 of claim 13, wherein request primitive comprises address and scheduling unit that participates in WSTA 106,109 about one of them.

15. the method 300 according to claim 14 also comprises:

Request primitive is sent to the MLME 201 of HC inside from SME 202.

16. the method 300 according to claim 15 also comprises:

In response to reception, formulate a scheduling QoS action action frame that has comprised scheduling unit from the request primitive of SME 202; And

Send the scheduling QoS action action frame of being formulated.

17. the method 300,306 according to claim 16 also comprises:

In response to receive scheduling QoS action action frame by one of WSTA 106,109 of this participation, generates the SME 202 of an indication with one of the WSTA 106,109 that is used to send to this participation inside.

18. according to the method 300,306 of claim 17, wherein indication comprises scheduling unit.

19. a support is used for the method 306 that the inner service quality (QoS) of the mixture control (HC) of IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 strengthens, and comprising:

A station administration entity (SME) 202 of operation HC inside;

A medium access control (MAC) the sublayer management entity (MLME) 201 of operation HC inside, described medium access control (MAC) but the sublayer management entity is coupled to the SME 202 and the MLME 201 at the wireless station (WSTA) 106,109 that participates in IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 with communication mode; And

In response to the request primitive that the scheduling of one of WSTA 106,109 who relates to this participation changes, determine a result who is used for this request primitive, and generate one and confirm that primitive is to be used for sending to from the MLME 201 of HC inside the SME 202 of HC inside.

20., confirm that wherein primitive comprises a corresponding object code of the result with request primitive according to the method 306 of claim 19.

21. the method 306 according to claim 20 also comprises:

To confirm that primitive sends to the SME 202 of HC inside from the MLME 201 of HC inside.

22. a support is used for the method 312 that the service quality (QoS) at the wireless station (WSTA) 106,109 of IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 strengthens, this method comprises:

A station administration entity (SME) 202 of operation WSTA 106,109 inside;

A medium access control (MAC) the sublayer management entity (MLME) 201 of operation WSTA 106,109 inside, described medium access control (MAC) sublayer management entity is coupled to the SME 202 and the MLME 201 at other wireless stations that participate in IEEE 802.11 wireless data communication systems 100 in the mode that can communicate by letter; And

In response to receive a scheduling QoS action action frame at WSTA 106,109 places, generate an indication to be used for sending to the SME 202 of WSTA106,109 inside from the MLME 201 of WSTA 106,109 inside.

23. according to the method 312 of claim 22, wherein indication comprises a scheduling unit that comes self scheduling QoS action action frame.

24. the method 312 according to claim 23 also comprises:

Indication is sent to the SME 202 of WSTA 106,109 inside from the MLME 201 of WSTA 106,109 inside.

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